CONNECTIONS FALL 2019

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Education News From Northeastern Connecticut volume 40, number 1

www.eastconn.org

Fall 2019

EASTCONN Restructures Professional Learning Group to Build Capacity

New staff, new roles for EASTCONN L&L group. L to R: Dr. Anna Forlenza-Bailey, Dr. Jim Collin, L&L Director Diane Dugas and Gary Petersen.

EASTCONN’s Teaching and Learning division has undergone a transformation. Not only has it expanded its staff and capacity for delivering high-quality professional learning, it has also changed its name – from Teaching and Learning, to Leading and Learning. “We’ve hired wonderful, new, high-powered staff to complement our existing staff and increase the depth and breadth of professional learning and support we can provide to our districts,” said Diane Dugas, Director of EASTCONN’s Leading and Learning group. Dugas, who previously led EASTCONN’s Center for Educational Leadership (CEL), was tapped last spring to succeed Scott Nierendorf as Director of Leading and Learning. Nierendorf, who is retiring, will be a consultant through November 1st. EASTCONN’s restructured Leading and Learning group has See EASTCONN, page 2

EASTCONN & 10 Partner Schools Win 4 CSDE Interdistrict Grants

New pals from last year’s “Farming the Land & Sea” grant program marveled at a purple cauliflower, which they’d never seen before. EASTCONN is pleased to announce that it is partnering this year with 9 northeastern Connecticut districts and Hartford Public Schools to offer four new Interdistrict Grant programs. The year-long grants will serve 1,425 public school children from culturally and economically diverse backgrounds in See GRANTS, back page

EASTCONN 376 Hartford Turnpike Hampton, CT 06247


...EASTCONN, from page 1 expanded the number of professional learning options for districts in areas like student-centered and social-emotional learning; leadership; competency-based teaching and learning; strategic planning; literacy; STEM; numeracy; and coherent school structures. A former superintendent, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, a turn-around principal and special education teacher, Dugas has conducted doctoral research on the ways in which central office supports leadership capacity for transformational change. She holds a Sixth Year certificate and is a graduate of the UConn Executive Leadership Program. Dugas specializes in leadership and talent development, social-emotional learning, student-centered learning and strategic planning. Joining Dugas and current Leading and Learning staff developers are three highly regarded, long-time educators: Jim Collin, Ed.D.; Anna Forlenza-Bailey, Ph.D.; and Gary Petersen. Collin, who co-directs EASTCONN’s Talent Development, has 31 years of experience in the education field, having worked as a technology teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent of curriculum and special services in both urban and suburban public school settings. Collin is trained by International Restorative Practices (IRP) and will focus on supporting school improvement efforts as an expert in socialemotional learning and restorative practices.

As EASTCONN’s co-director of Talent Development, ForlenzaBailey is working with districts to support school administrators in leadership coaching, the development of systemic models for interventions and the use of professional learning communities. She also specializes in school building walk-throughs to impact student learning. In her former role as a principal, Forlenza-Bailey’s school earned a CSDE School of Distinction award and a CAS Exemplary School Climate award. She has also been a special education teacher. Petersen, who holds an 092 certificate, joins EASTCONN as a former staff developer and coach with Columbia University’s Reading and Writing Project. He provides expertise in English Language Arts, instructional leadership, culture and climate, and organizational systems. Petersen has been a curriculum specialist and teacher in both West Hartford and Wethersfield. EASTCONN’s current Leading and Learning staff includes education specalists Tiffany Smith (ELA); Esther Soffer-Roberts (Interdistrict Grants, school climate, student leadership); Nancy Celentano (TEAM); Michael Mahoney (TEAM Technology specialist); Carolyn Stearns (After-School Program); and Kevin Segar (After-School Program science); and Faith Grist, the group’s support person. To learn more, contact Diane Dugas at ddugas@eastconn.org.

Willimantic Artist Ben Keller Paints Vibrant Façade at The LEAP School Last spring, after notiche spray-painted the mural ing a colorful, new, abstract from the upper platform of a mural that had been painted scissor-lift, which he maneuover the Willimantic Public vered back and forth along Library’s main door, the sidewalk. EASTCONN Executive He started work early each Director Gary S. Mala asked day, and painted late into for the artist’s name. the night, one night working When he discovered that with a head lamp on, since the artist, Ben Keller, was a the lighting hadn’t yet been local resident, he suggested installed. that EASTCONN might like to Keller also set up a camera hire Keller to paint the upper across the street to capture façade of EASTCONN’s new stop-action photos of his LEAP School building at 729 progress – available now on Main Street, in downtown the LEAP website: Willimantic. www.eastconn.org/leap. The former QVCC building Since 2012, Keller has painthad been empty for years, ed more than 20 commercial and its façade was badly signs and murals for business marred. It needed an artistic Willimantic artist Ben Keller stands outside The LEAP School, where he owners along Willimantic’s hand to improve it. Main Street. recently finished spray-painting its river-themed façade. Keller, who grew up in His works are rendered with Hebron and had attended both brush and spray paint, both RHAM high school and Windham Tech, agreed to submit and they range from abstract to photo-realistic. One of Keller’s mural proposals for consideration. His blue, aqua, orange and earlier history-realistic paintings can still be seen along the back green, river-themed rendering emerged as the unrivaled favorite wall of The LEAP School. among EASTCONN staff, and Keller was hired. He began painting He also painted LEAP’s new street sign, on the transom over the the mural during the last week of August. main door. “I agreed to paint the mural for LEAP because I enjoy To learn more about The LEAP School mural, contact beautifying the town and sharing my work publicly,” said Keller. EASTCONN’s Communications department at 860-455-1506. Passers-by stopped to watch Keller’s artistic vision emerge as Follow Ben Keller’s at Instagram.com/benkellerct.

EASTCONN Connections

Editor/Writer: Teddie Sleight, Director of Marketing & Communications, tsleight@eastconn.org Assistant Editor: Dona Prindle, Communications Specialist, dprindle@eastconn.org Graphic Designer: Angela Dean, adean@eastconn.org EASTCONN Administration: Gary S. Mala, Executive Director, gmala@eastconn.org EASTCONN, 376 Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247, 860-455-0707 Fax: 860-455-0691

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EASTCONN Founder David J. Calchera

December 21, 1944 - July 19, 2019

David J. Calchera in 2004 Connections newsletter photo.

EASTCONN mourns the loss of its visionary founder and first executive director, David J. Calchera, who died last summer, on July 19, 2019. “David was a remarkable person,” said EASTCONN Executive Director Gary S. Mala. “Forty years ago, he recognized that northeastern Connecticut schools and communities needed help securing affordable, high-quality education programs and services. He responded by founding EASTCONN.” “The entire region has benefited from his vision, his advocacy for education and his generous spirit.”

Kimberly Mansfield will direct EASTCONN’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Windham and Tolland counties.

Kimberly Mansfield Named Director of Head Start EASTCONN has named Kimberly Mansfield as the new Director of EASTCONN’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Mansfield will oversee EASTCONN’s Head Start programs in Windham and Tolland counties; the center-based programs in Plainfield, Putnam and Killingly; and the home-based program for families in eastern Connecticut. “We are delighted to welcome Kim to our early childhood team,” said Diane Gozemba, Director of EASTCONN’s Early Childhood Initiatives. “Our children, families and staff will thrive under her leadership.” Mansfield holds degrees in teaching and psychology and is copresident of Connecticut’s Association for the Education of Young Children, the state affiliate of the national organization. “I am excited to join the EASTCONN team and I look forward to getting back into more direct work with teachers and children,” Mansfield said. “Head Start provides so many key benefits for families and child development. It’s a way to help support our community and directly impact child growth in a positive way.” Mansfield has taught in higher education and early childhood classrooms in public-school systems, child care centers and social service agencies. She has been a member of taskforce groups across the state, advocating for early childhood education. Until recently, Mansfield was a full-time Early Childhood Education faculty member and Director of the Lab School at Mitchell College, where she oversaw the daily operations of the Lab School and its programs. For the past 15 years, she has been an education consultant, advocate and trainer, consulting on best practices in early childhood. Contact Kimberly Mansfield at kmansfield@eastconn.org.

David C. Howes to Lead EASTCONN’s LEAP School

LEAP Principal David C. Howes, far left, meets daily with students and staff to exchange ideas for improving their learning outcomes. This summer, The LEAP School’s new Principal, David C. Howes, eagerly began preparing for the regional alternative high school’s debut on August 28th. On opening day, in the midst of LEAP’s refurbished, updated interiors, Howes stood, side by side, with his talented staff as they welcomed 11 students to EASTCONN’s dynamic, new, student-centered program.

See HOWES, back page

Agency Professional Notes EASTCONN Intervention Specialist, Peter Smat and Director of Security and Investigations, Don Skewes, presented “How Complacency and Panic Play out in an Emergency” at one of the nation’s largest school safety conferences in Las Vegas last summer. The conference was attended by more than 1,000 participants, including many who traveled from outside the United States.

EASTCONN’s Early Childhood specialist Sheri Lambert presented “Meet Your AFPs” at the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) annual Professional Learning Institute, held in California. Lambert’s presentation shared information about how NAEYC Accreditation Facilitation Projects (AFPs) build their structures to support regional programs.

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EASTCONN Web and Media Services Specialist Kerin Griffin, CTS, will join EASTCONN Assistive Technology and Transition Coordinator Amy Norton, M.Ed., ATP, CAPS, to co-present “Digital Accessibility: A How-To Guide for Word, PowerPoint, and PDFs” at The Second Annual Universal Design for Learning Conference on November 8th at Goodwin College in East Hartford.


EASTCONN’s UNITY DAY 2019 On a warm, late-August day, nearly 350 employees attended EASTCONN’s Unity Day, an annual celebration that welcomes staff back before the start of a new school year. This year’s events included lawn games, indoor games, karaoke, line dancing, wood bodgering, a dunk tank, food truck, 2 ice cream trucks, and more. Staff colored in feathers on a “What lifts you?” wings mural, and donated used books for the agency book sale, as well as items for EASTCONN’s Food Pantry. Everyone ended the day with an optimistic address by Executive Director Gary S. Mala, and cooled off under the big tent, while enjoying Magic by Derek, featuring mentalist/magician Derek Whitneck.

...GRANTS, from page 1

...HOWES, from page 3

Andover, Ashford, Brooklyn, The new grants include Griswold, Hartford, Hebron, “America’s Mosaic,” serving Killingly, Plainfield, Putnam and 500 students in grades 7-8 from Windham. EASTCONN will Brooklyn, Hartford, Plainfield, coordinate and administer the Putnam and Windham; grants, which are funded by “Forensic Detectives,” serving the Connecticut State 425 6th-graders from Department of Griswold, Hartford, Grants include Education (CSDE). Hebron, Putnam and face-to-face Only 15 Interdistrict Windham; “Mindful meetings, Grants were awarded Transformations,” team-building statewide this year. activities and trips serving 425 CSDE Interdistrict 4th-graders from to schools or sites that are Grants are intended Ashford, Hartford, grant-related. to connect children Hebron, Putnam and from different reWindham; and “Farmgions and backgrounds; to ing Our Land and Sea,” serving increase their understanding 500 students, grades 2-3 from and appreciation of diversity; Andover, Hartford, Killingly, and to provide them with enPlainfield and Windham. gaging academic challenges. Grants include face-to-face “We’re so pleased that the meetings, team-building CSDE decided to fund these activities and trips to schools or wonderful grants, which will sites that are grant-related. connect so many students The grants also allow teachers with peers from different to work with their peers in other communities and life participating schools. experiences,” said EASTCONN Email Esther Soffer-Roberts Interdistrict Grant Coordinator at eroberts@eastconn.org. Esther Soffer-Roberts.

“Throughout my career, I have sought to create learning environments where studentcentered learning is vigorous, joyful and meaningful,” said Howes, who was chosen after a nationwide search to lead The LEAP School, EASTCONN’s new, regional alternative high school in Willimantic. “LEAP is founded on these principles,” Howes said. “Our school will provide students with learning experiences that are built around their personal goals, interests and needs.” Located at 729 Main St., Willimantic, The LEAP School is open to all eastern Connecticut school districts and is intended to serve students who may be at risk of dropping out. LEAP will enroll up to 20 students in its first year, and as many as 70 by year three. “David is a highly regarded educator with impeccable credentials,” said EASTCONN Leading and Learning Director Diane Dugas. “His experience in creating personalized learning

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for students is a perfect match for The LEAP School. We’re proud to have him on the EASTCONN team.” Howes was previously principal and executive director (2014-2019) at New London’s Interdistrict School of Arts and Communication (ISAAC), where he taught between 1998 and 2011. He served as ISAAC’s director of academics for many years. He was an education consultant for Hartford and New Haven, and served as assistant principal in Hartford. Howes earned a B.A. and master’s from Connecticut College and a Sixth Year in Educational Leadership at UConn, where he also completed UConn’s Executive Leadership Program. He holds Superintendent (093) and School Administrator (092) certificates. Learn more about LEAP at www.eastconn.org/leap. Email Howes at dhowes@eastconn.org.


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